G.I. Joe Comics Home Page: Battle Force 2000

Avalanche. The code name used by U.S. Army Sergeant Ian Costello. Costello was born in Madawask, ME to a family of smugglers and poachers. He spent a lot of time in the woods as a child and learned about cold-weather survival. When he joined the Army, Avalanche was assigned to Battle Force 2000 where he drove the team's Dominator snow tank. On Avalanche's first mission for the Joe team apart from the Battle Force, he traveled to the Bering Strait, between Alaska and the U.S.S.R. Avalanche, Frostbite and Snow Job cooperated with the October Guard to defeat Cobra forces in the area and destroy a Cobra Terror-Drome hidden beneath the ice. (GI 68, 74-77, 81, 83, 113; SM 20; Figure: 1)
Blaster. The code name used by U.S. Army Sergeant Brian R. David. David was born in Panama City, FL, where at age thirteen he had built his first hovercraft from a kit. He later went on to design his own. After he went to the Army to get funding for building prototypes, he was eventually assigned to Battle Force 2000 where he drove the team's Vindicator hovercraft. His other specialties included microwave technician. (GI 68, 74-77, 113; Figure: 1)
Blocker. The code name used by U.S. Army Sergeant David B. McCarthy. McCarthy was born in Boston, MA and spent three years as a taxi driver before deciding on a safer line of work -- the Army. Blocker was qualified to drive every wheeled vehicle in the Army, and served at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds where he was the test driver for a half dozen prototype vehicles. He was later assigned to Battle Force 2000 where he drove the team's Eliminator vehicle. (GI 68, 74-77, 81, 83, 113; Figure: 1)
Dodger. The code name used by U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Richard Renwick from South Bend, Indiana. In the Army, Dodger became an expert on the latest high tech armored-vehicle driving hardware, such as night-vision lenses, thermal-imaging range-finders, Doppler radar and more. Despite this, he is skilled enough in armored-vehicle operation that he doesn't need to rely solely on that technology to do his job. Dodger was later assigned to Battle Force 2000, where he drove the team's Marauder motorcycle-tank. During the Battle of Benzheen, five members of the Battle Force were killed, and Dodger was the only survivor. After recovering from that battle, Dodger returned to the Joe team on his own and served until the team was shut down in 1994. Years later, Dodger joined the reinstated G.I. Joe team in its fight against the forces of The Coil in Eastern Europe. Like most former Joes, Dodger is currently a reserve member of the team. He was later assigned to domestic operations during the conflict known as World War III. (GI 68, 74-77, 81, 83, 113; GIv2 26; Figure: 1, 2)
Knockdown. The code name used by U.S. Army Sergeant Blaine M. Gonsalves. Born in San Francisco, CA, he spends his spare time skeet-shooting and collecting butterflies and moths. He is also known for being an authority on air disasters. Knockdown is highly skilled at repairing radar systems, infrared sensors and target tracking computers. He was part of the testing teams on various top secret weapons systems at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, including the cancelled "Sgt. York" DIVAD anti-aircraft system. After his time at Aberdeen, Knockdown was assigned to Battle Force 2000 where he drove the team's Sky-Sweeper anti-aircraft vehicle. (GI 68, 74-77, 81, 83, 113; Figure: 1)
Maverick. The code name used by U.S. Air Force Captain Thomas P. Kiley. While still only a boy in Ida Grove, Iowa, Maverick flew along with his mother in her crop duster, an old Stearman biplane. He can't remember a time when he wasn't flying. After graduating at the top of his class from the Air Force Academy, Maverick volunteered for every experimental program that was offered. He became one of the few pilots qualified to operate the Air Force's most highly advanced aircraft. Those skills, added to his strength, quick reflexes and perfect eyesight, made Maverick a natural pilot. He was later assigned to Battle Force 2000 where he piloted the Vector jet. On his first mission for the Joe team apart from the Battle Force, Maverick served as Wild Bill's co-pilot onboard C-130 that brought a small Joe rescue team into Sierra Gordo to retrieve U.S. Ambassador Winthrop. While Maverick, Wild Bill and Crazylegs waited at the airfield for the rescue team to return, a group of Sierra Gordan refugees arrived, begging for passage out of the nation as it became consumed by civil war. The Joes had to refuse due to their mission, but things changed when Zarana and two Dreadnoks arrived, also wanting to leave. When they took the refugees hostage, Wild Bill and his crew had no choice but to take off and abandon the other Joes. The plane was hit by enemy fire and made a crash landing. The Joes were forced to find their way through the jungles with three Dreadnoks and a planeload of refugees. After a chaotic series of events, they stole a plane and made their way back to America. Maverick's next assignment was a far easier one. He and other Joes participated in an airshow, displaying their flying skills and their fighters. While at the show, Maverick was riding in an old biplane similar to the one his mother flew when Cobra agents led by Firefly stole the Vector jet. Maverick and the plane's pilot, Bert Phriem, followed the Vector to a barge hauling garbage on the Hudson River. Maverick and Phriem commandeered a boat, boarded the barge and stopped the Cobra troopers. To reward Bert for his help, Maverick let him pilot the Vector back to the airshow. (GI 68, 69, 70, 71, 74, 75, 113; SM 12, 16; Figure: 1)
Dee-Jay. The code name used by U.S. Army Specialist Thomas R. Rossi III. Dee-Jay was a popular disc jockey in Boston (not far from his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island) before enlisting. He became an expert in the Army's most advanced communications technology. He was eventually assigned to the G.I. Joe team's Battle Force 2000. Dee-Jay was the only "new" member added to that team's original roster. Along with his teammates, Dee-Jay was one of the many Joes who participated in the Battle of Benzheen. (GI 113; Figure: 1, 2)

Vehicles:

The highly-advanced vehicles that were field-tested by Battle Force 2000 could be reconfigured and combined to create a temporary fortress, as was done during the battle in Frusenland.
Dominator. An advanced snow tank used by G.I. Joe's Battle Force 2000. The Dominator was operated by Avalanche, and ran on a combination of skis and wheels. The vehicle was armed with a primary 152mm XM175 gun/missle launcher and two "Twin Terror" 7.62mm machine guns. It was also capable of splitting into two separate pieces and reconfigured to combine with the other BF 2000 vehicles to create a temporary fortress. The Dominator -- along with Avalanche and all but one member of the Battle Force -- was destroyed during the Battle of Benzheen when oil storage tanks near it exploded. (GI 67, 68, 74-77, 81, 83, 113)
Eliminator. A heavily-armed four-wheel drive armored vehicle, primarily used by Battle Force 2000. Blocker drove the Eliminator, and was specially trained to operate the experimental vehicle. It's main weapon were turret-mounted remote-operated dual 20mm repeating auto-load cannons operated from a separate gunner's station. That turret could be removed to reveal six "Wasp" OG-6 optically guided surface-to-air missiles. Additional armaments included two "Deflector" sound-deflector pivoting laser guns and a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) radar directed laser cannon. The Eliminator was destroyed during the Battle of Benzheen when oil storage tanks Battle Force 2000 was manuevering between exploded, killing all but one member of the team. (GI 67, 68, 74-77, 81, 83, 113)
Marauder. An armored vehicle, primarily used by Battle Force 2000. The Marauder was called a "motorcycle tank", and was a kind of half-track vehicle, combining a forward motorcycle segment that could be separated from the rear tank segment. Both parts of the vehicle carried multiple armaments, including a direct-fire kinetic energy gun platform, a "Big Bore" fully-integrated 25 mm anti-armor cannon, two "Bushmaster" auto-load 25 mm co-axial cannons and a "Tankmasher" OG-17 optical-aimed infra-red homing missile. Dodger drove the Marauder, and was specially trained to operate the experimental vehicle. The Marauder was nearly lost during the Battle of Benzheen when oil storage tanks Battle Force 2000 was manuevering between exploded, destroying the team's other vehicles, and killing all members except Dodger. (GI 67, 68, 74-77, 81, 83, 113)
Sky Sweeper. An anti-aircraft tank used by G.I. Joe's Battle Force 2000. The Sky Sweeper was operated by Knockdown. The vehicle was armed with turret mounted "Rerun" dual 20mm repeating auto-load cannons, two directed "Zap" energy laser-guided weapons, and four "Jane" (Jam and Neutralize Enemy) rader homing tactical missiles. It was also capable of splitting into two separate pieces -- a tank and sentry post -- and reconfiguring to combine with the other BF 2000 vehicles to create a temporary fortress. The Sky Sweeper -- along with Knockdown and all but one member of the Battle Force -- was destroyed during the Battle of Benzheen when oil storage tanks near it exploded. (GI 67, 68, 74-77, 81, 83, 113)
Vector. A highly-advanced jet fighter used by G.I. Joe's Battle Force 2000. The Vector was piloted by Maverick. The craft was armed with twin "Quick Blast" 7.62.mm coaxial machine guns, two wing-mounted air craft pilot controlled (APC) 20mm cannons and could carry four Aim-33 "Narrow Sparrow" air-to-air missiles. It included a surveillance/ballistics pod armed with dual 7.62mm repeating auto-load machine guns. The pod was capable of separating from the fighter and combining with the other BF 2000 vehicles to create a temporary fortress. The Vector -- along with Maverick and all but one member of the Battle Force -- was destroyed during the Battle of Benzheen when oil storage tanks near it exploded. (GI 68, 74, 75, 113; SM 12, 16)
Vindicator. An armed military hovercraft used by G.I. Joe's Battle Force 2000. The arrowhead-shaped Vindicator was piloted by Blaster. The craft was armed with two side-mounted vertically-pivoting 5.56mm machine guns, a pivoting anti-armor gun system (AAGS) and carried four "Whistler" LG-9 laser-guided hex-finned missiles. It was also capable of splitting into two separate pieces -- a smaller attack vehicle could separate from the main hovercraft -- and reconfiguring to combine with the other BF 2000 vehicles to create a temporary fortress. The Vindicator -- along with Blaster and all but one member of the Battle Force -- was destroyed during the Battle of Benzheen when oil storage tanks near it exploded. (GI 67, 68, 74-77, 81, 83, 113)